Weiwei creates cultural objects from fantasy and historic knowledge

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If you are a fan of cultural art, make sure to check out the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego for the unveiling of the Circle of Zodiac Heads in the Strauss Gallery downtown February 23 through July 29.

These twelve gold ornate heads depict a segment of the ancient Chinese Zodiac emphasizing creatures such as the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit and snake.

The heads were created by Ai Weiwei, a Chinese contemporary artist who restructured the sculptures after five of the original twelve were displaced during the Second Opium War in 1860.

The museum’s staff first witnessed the zodiac heads in Beijing in November 2010, and MCASD is the first U.S. museum to display the series.

"We saw Ai Weiwei's zodiac heads as he was creating them in his studio," said Kathryn Kanjo, chief curator at MCASD. "We were attracted to their sparkling gold patina and museum scale, and we knew we had to seize the opportunity to show this installation."

The Circle of Zodiac Heads will run concurrent to the Isaac Julien: Ten Thousand Waves exhibition that poetically weaves together stories linking China’s ancient past and present.

The display is open to the public daily between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Wednesday.

The cost to attend is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors. Military and their families are free.